Can Tho (VNA) – The Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, in coordination with the People’s Committee of Tran De commune, held a conference on October 30 to disseminate regulations on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and introduce support policies for local fishermen.
The initiative is part of the Mekong Delta city’s efforts to combat IUU fishing and restructure its fisheries sector towards sustainability by supporting fishermen in changing occupations and decommissioning underperforming vessels.
Quach Thi Thanh Binh, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment, said Can Tho has made progress in combating IUU fishing. Fishing vessels at least six metres long have been registered in the national fisheries database (VNFishbase), while those 15 metres or longer have been licensed and fitted with vessel monitoring systems (VMS). No cases of fishing in foreign waters have been reported.
However, shortcomings remain in completing legal documentation, maintaining VMS connectivity and ensuring accurate fishing logbook records.
The department has instructed relevant agencies to strengthen inspections and prevent non-compliant vessels from leaving ports. Fishermen are also being guided in digital technologies for vessel management, electronic departure and arrival declarations, and seafood traceability.
At the conference, participants were briefed on responsibilities of vessel owners and captains and support policies, including VMS subscription fees for the first four months of 2026 for 168 fishing vessels.
Authorities also introduced Resolution No. 10/2026/NQ-HDND of the Can Tho People’s Council, which provides support for occupational changes and the decommissioning of fishing vessels no longer needed for fishing through 2030. They gathered feedback from fishermen and assessed their interest in changing jobs to ensure the help provided matches their actual needs.
Under the resolution, eligible vessel owners will receive one-off assistance based on vessel length: 50 million VND for vessels measuring from six metres to under 12 metres; 100 million VND for those from 12 metres to under 15 metres; 200 million VND for vessels from 15 metres to under 20 metres; and 300 million VND for those measuring 20 metres or more. Family members of owners who decommission their vessels will also receive vocational training support to help them find alternative livelihoods.
As of September 30, Can Tho had 783 registered fishing vessels measuring at least six metres, all of which were registered, marked, licensed and updated in VNFishbase. Of these, 339 vessels measuring at least 15 metres were equipped with VMS devices.
Seafood traceability has also been strengthened. During the reporting period, authorities monitored 492 vessel arrivals and 453 departures at ports, with total seafood landings reaching 5,468 tonnes. They issued 112 receipts covering 354 tonnes of seafood, 10 certificates of raw material origin covering 324 tonnes, and 16 certificates of origin covering 84 tonnes.
In the coming time, Can Tho will continue improving its fishing fleet database, tightening VMS monitoring, increasing the use of the electronic catch documentation and traceability (eCDT) system and strictly handling violations.
Alongside enforcement, the city will step up communications to help fishermen access occupational conversion and vessel decommissioning support, contributing to efforts to combat IUU fishing and develop a responsible and sustainable fisheries sector./.
